[Yonhap Photo]
Pokémon GO has become a syndrome since it was launched in South Korea three weeks ago, causing many incidents and social problems as experienced in other countries.
A 31-year-old mother in Cheongju, 110 kilometers (68 miles) south of Seoul, made an emergency call to police at 11:21 am (0221 GMT) Monday saying her seven-year-old daughter was missing near a bus terminal. Police officers launched a hunt and located the child in ten minutes.
When she was found, the child was immersed in playing the mobile game standing alone on the sidewalk near an intersection just about 400 meters away from her mother.
"I've caught three Pokémons," the girl said proudly as her mother explained to the police that she was so frightened she could not think about calling her daughter on her phone.
The Pokémon-themed augmented reality game became a global hit when it was released in July last year but it was released in South Korea on January 24. It's now a common sight to watch people trudging on the roads, looking down at smartphones and flicking fingers.
Of course, it has caused a lot of social problems in South Korea. There have been sporadic reports of Pokémon-related traffic accidents while some users were caught sneaking into private premises to catch special Pokémons.
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